Ukraine’s Zelenskyy praises Trump as leader feared by Putin

Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the president of Ukraine, has praised Donald Trump as one of the only leaders Vladimir Putin fears, while urging the world community to unite to put an end to the conflict in Ukraine.

Zelenskyy stated after his meeting with Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron over the weekend in Paris that the discussions had been “very productive” and that he applauded Trump’s “strong resolve” to put an end to the conflict.

We are aware that America can accomplish extraordinary things, which other countries are unable to. We need unity on the ground as well as strong positions and guarantees for peace, Zelenskyy said on X on Tuesday, “to succeed in ending this war. We need unity of America, Europe, and everyone in the world who values security.”

Zelenskyy said that he had told the United States president-elect that Putin “fears only him and, perhaps, China”.

The Ukrainian leader said, “And that’s the truth: only decisiveness can end this war and bring it to an end in time,” adding, “And that’s the truth.”

“To restore the proper international order, action is now required.”

The media frequently discusses lowering the draft age for Ukrainians to work on the frontlines. We must concentrate on utilizing the available training and brigades’ resources. We must not make up for the youth’s lack of training and equipment.

Zelenskyy’s remarks come two days after Trump called for an “immediate ceasefire” and negotiations to end the conflict.

Trump stated on his Truth Social platform on Sunday that “Zelenskyy and Ukraine would like to make a deal and stop the madness.”

Trump repeatedly stated during his election campaign that he would be able to put an end to the conflict within 24 hours, without going into further detail.

Supporters of Ukraine have expressed concerns that Trump’s plan for ending the conflict could include halting military aid to Kyiv and giving up some or all of the Ukrainian territory seized by Russian forces.

“We’re getting ready for the worst-case scenario, when]Trump] stops all the supplies”, Lieutenant General Ihor Romanenko, the former deputy head of the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, told Al Jazeera last month.

Trump last month tapped Keith Kellogg, a retired general, as his special envoy for the Russia-Ukraine war.

In addition to Trump’s first term as president, Kellogg, who was the White House’s chief of staff, has demanded that Ukraine’s request for NATO membership be delayed, and that US military support for Ukraine be tied to Kyiv’s participation in Moscow-mediated peace talks.

He also suggested that Russia might receive some sanctions in exchange for a peace deal, and that Russian energy sales might be subject to levies to help with Ukraine’s reconstruction.

As long as there is a “clear understanding of when Ukraine will be in the European Union and when Ukraine will be in NATO,” Zelenskyy stated in a post on Telegram on Monday that he would be open to sending Western troops to Ukraine to guarantee security as part of a deal to end the war.

In response to rumors that US officials are pressuring Kyiv to consider enlisting men as young as 18 in his comments on Tuesday, Zelenskyy also rejected calls to lower the military draft from 25.

Zelenskyy urged us to concentrate on utilizing the equipment by the current brigades and training them.

Source: Aljazeera